David’s Leadership That United God’s People David: A Man after God’s Own Heart Series [19] 2 Samuel 4:5-5:25 © August 6, 2017 Pastor Paul K. Kim 2

 1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD  said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. 2 Samuel 5:1-5

DAVID: ISRAEL’S KING AS A TYPE OF THE MESSIANIC KING Israel was to be ruled by God through a human servant-king as a type of God’s Kingdom. Saul failed to be God’s servant-king essentially because he tried to use God for his purpose rather than serving God as his purpose. David becomes the servant-king of God’s united people Israel in today’s passage as a type of Christ the King of the eternal Kingdom of God. In all this, David as a man after God’s own heart offers us not an example of perfect life but an example of faith for our relationship with God.

THREE STORIES OF DAVID’S LEADERSHIP AS GOD’S SERVANT-KING Dealing with Ish-bosheth’s Death: Justice for the murderers (4:5-12)  5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6 And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him  in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The LORD has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the  LORD lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity,

THREE STORIES OF DAVID’S LEADERSHIP AS GOD’S SERVANT-KING Dealing with Ish-bosheth’s Death: Justice for the murderers (4:5-12)  10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron. (4:5-12) Rechab and Baanah rationalized their wicked murder by using God’s name, thinking that David would be glad and would reward them for it. Nevertheless, David didn’t go along with their injustice and execute them. Why? David feared the LORD and he trusted in God’s righteous way in his leadership.

THREE STORIES OF DAVID’S LEADERSHIP AS GOD’S SERVANT-KING Conquering Jerusalem: The first project as king of united Israel (5:6-16) 6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David's soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the  LORD, the God of hosts, was with him. 11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house.

THREE STORIES OF DAVID’S LEADERSHIP AS GOD’S SERVANT-KING Conquering Jerusalem: The first project as king of united Israel (5:6-16)  12 And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 13 And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. (5:6-16). Jerusalem was perfect as United Israel’s capital because its central location. However, Jerusalem was notorious for almost impossibility of conquering because it was fortified on the hills (yet, easy to defend it). David’s first project as king of all Israel was to conquer it and name it “The City of David” as a sign from the Almighty God of Israel.

THREE STORIES OF DAVID’S LEADERSHIP AS GOD’S SERVANT-KING Defeating the Philistines: Turning the tide with them (5:17-25) 17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD  said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”  20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

THREE STORIES OF DAVID’S LEADERSHIP AS GOD’S SERVANT-KING Defeating the Philistines: Turning the tide with them (5:17-25) 22 And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25 And David did as the LORD commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer. (5:17-25) The Philistines left David alone thus far; but now that he became king over all Israel, they felt that David was a real threat to them; so, the war began. David, once again, turns to God first, seeking God’s guidance before action. The LORD was with David, so David had an overwhelming victory that turned the tide with the Philistines from this point on.

THREE LESSONS FROM DAVID’S LEADERSHIP AS A SERVANT-KING Lesson #1: The first mark of David’s leadership was that he was a servant to God first—with the fear of the LORD and for God’s glory.  12 And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 2 Samuel 5:12 David’s secret is in this: he saw and trusted in God’s sovereign providence, which meant his chief end and purpose was to glorify God. Even for us, this principle of leadership applies today: as Christ-followers, we are to be a servant to God first as our chief end and purpose. If then and only then, we will see the sovereign providence of God in our mundane everyday life when things may not happen fast enough or when we feel like we must help God in accomplishing our goals.

THREE LESSONS FROM DAVID’S LEADERSHIP AS A SERVANT-KING Lesson #2: The second mark of David’s leadership was that he sought the good of his people as the shepherd and leader of God’ people Israel.  12 And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 2 Samuel 5:12 Seeking the good of his people emerged out of his identity as “a shepherd and leader of God’s people Israel” as God’s calling of him to leadership. It wasn’t a mere political strategy of David—it was his integrity in God’s calling of him as the leader of God’s people. We too ought to see this as our integrity in our leadership and service for God’s calling and assignment.

THREE LESSONS FROM DAVID’S LEADERSHIP AS A SERVANT-KING Lesson #3: The third mark of David’s leadership was that he experienced God’s favor and of the blessing as a fruit of God-centered leadership. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him. 2 Samuel 2:10 This blessing on David’s leadership was NOT the first thing but the last thing as a fruit of God-centered leadership. God made him greater and greater with God’s favor and blessing. This is also what happens to us Christ-followers when we seek first the Kingdom of God and leave the results to God’s sovereign hand.

When Jesus Is King What happens when Jesus is King? Look at our text for a moment: what happened when David was king? The conquest [of Jerusalem] which had baffled the Israelites through their whole history became amazingly easy when David was king. One of the first evidences of the enthronement of Jesus Christ in our lives will be that deeply entrenched habits of evil will be put under subjection to our risen Lord, who will inhabit that temple of the Holy Spirit, your body and mind. That stronghold of sin which has defied our best efforts, that which has caused us many a heartache and many a tear and many a feeling of remorse and frustration, that which has almost made us give up the fight altogether – how wonderful, when Jesus becomes King it is put under His feet. He comes into our lives to establish His kingdom, and to inaugurate it by giving us the first taste of deliverance and victory over the power of inbred sin. ― Alan Redpath

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE In what ways will you be a servant to God first in all of your endeavors and work and service? What would it mean for you to seek the good of the people whom you serve as the true aim of your work and service? What is your first step toward to experience God’s favor that comes from the presence of God in the center of your life?